Better Drinking Water for Nova Scotians

Nova Scotians will be drinking better quality water thanks to more than $60 million in treatment facility upgrades around the province.

The provincial and federal governments contributed more than $37 million to the upgrades through the Canada Nova Scotia Infrastructure Program. Municipalities were responsible for the balance of their individual project's costs.

"Safe, quality drinking water is a priority for Nova Scotians," said Environment and Labour Minister Kerry Morash. "These investments are helping municipalities meet the standards we've set in the provincial drinking water strategy to ensure our citizens have quality water every time they turn on the tap."

The provincial strategy promotes a multi-barrier approach to clean drinking water: protect sources of drinking water from contamination, treat water to remove bacteria and chemicals, and test water regularly to ensure it is safe to drink.

Most municipalities are using infrastructure program funding to improve their treatment facilities and parts of their distribution systems. Some are extending service to homes that previously had problems with low quality well water.

The multi-barrier approach also helps Nova Scotians with private wells ensure they have safe drinking water. Proper construction and maintenance of wells helps ensure the water does not become contaminated. Testing well water regularly alerts homeowners to harmful bacteria or chemicals, which can then be removed by treatment, making the water safe to drink.

Nova Scotians can celebrate the success of the provincial drinking water strategy during Environment Week, June 5 to 11.

The drinking water strategy, publications on safe water, and information on keeping Nova Scotia's environment clean are available at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/envirowk .